Feb 6 - I watched your piece on this today. I was surprised that another person had an excel wish list. I learned this from my husband, but in our house it is a good thing. When I see something I like online, I cut and paste the link into the excel document. I have it sorted into pages for kitchen, crafts, baby, gifts etc. It is VERY detailed and elaborate. This keeps me from making impulse purchases and helps me comparison shop. It also helps at holiday time when I have a list of ideas with links compiled all year long.

When I was a college student and needed a shopping 'fix' I developed this trick. Go to the post office. I asked the clerk what stamps they had in the drawer and got to shop and choose what I wanted. Stamps are an exact dollar for dollar purchase and never go out of style. I don't know if this will work for someone with a severe problem since the post office now has other merchandise, but it may help a few people.

You people have some nerve. We weren't born a society of consumer driven credit card junkies. We have been made this way. You people deliberately take advantage of your own viewers. You exploit their weakness. You use nearly every segment to market another over-priced product or service. You produce one show after another loaded with traditional and subliminal plugs. I-Pods, Blackberries, Tivo, DVDs, google, high fashion, pharmaceuticals, unnecessary medical testing, health insurance, travel, decor, ect. Anything to make more money for the network sponsors, coorporate partners, and parent companies. You talk optimistic CRAP about the economy when you know damn well that we are in a recession. You dance your way around the underlying cause. The OBSCENE distribution of wealth and income within our country. Otherwise, there never would have been such a market for sub-prime to begin with. Now, we are headed for the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time. You continue to celebrate the underlying cause. GREED.

So I will not fall for your mass market BS, psycho CRAP, or PR stunts. Afterall, commercial marketing and entertainment has become the greatest influense on our society. There is almost no regard for ethics. Only PROFIT. Every one of you are partly to blame. You glady take part in the MASSIVE campaign of traditional and subliminal advertising. IT MAKES YOU RICHER. Go ahead and dumb down your viewers. You've done so for years. God knows they have no clue about economics. Otherwise, they wouldn't have signed over more wealth than any other generation in history. But I will do everything in my power to set the record straight. If it weren't for the incredible greed and corruption of the 1% club, we would not be in such trouble. Every one of you are high ranking members. No matter which factor you consider, it has been caused or aggrivated by your incredible greed. Now, we are headed for the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time. ITS THE 1% CLUB. THEY ARE THE PROBLEM.

I can sometimes be a compulsive shopper. There are times when I plan to just go and look. But then I see something I simply love and I know it will not be there when I can actually afford it without staining my budget. Sadly.. I cast caution to the wind and go ahead and get it. I simply will not allow myself to brood over it once I've gotten it.
Speaking of compulsive shopping. I saw a website that was offering a chance to be the winner of a $200 gift card. No purchase required. They promised not to spam the participant.
http://magnumshops.org/beawinner.aspx

You should have been telling people to avoid using credit cards 10 years ago. But you couldn't do that! You were too busy kissing network sponsor and parent company ass. Even America's favorite humanitarian was plugging the credit industry on her talk show until recently. I recently saw a re-run of an '06' episode. Maria Barinello had the nerve to rank eating out as our worst mistake with regard to our finances. If she had an ounce of character, she would have mentioned our excessive use of credit cards instead. But she couldn't do that! No public figure had THE GUTS to acknowledge any part of the REAL problem until recently. Even now, you are carefully balancing your commercial ties with your desire to APPEAR as if you care about anything but your bottom line. Well, I see right through every one of you. If it weren't for the credit industry and the incredible greed of the richest 1%, we would not be in this mess. Its like a game of Monopoly. We are headed for the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time.

As in all OCD modes, fear is a driver of the behavour, and when shopping becomes adaptive, making life tolerable, the shopper is born. My mother unknowlingly modeled this behavior "of the bargain shopper' which came to her from the experience of scarcity. Only now, I see what it was, unfortunately, I find the same emotional release in shopping to gather unneeded items. The source of this problem is indeed not from a conscious choice to shop. Sure, there are plenty of folks who shop for the sake of something to do, as a social activity, as a hobby even, but that is not what it is to be a compulsive shopper.

For the compulsive, shopping is just the vehicle for the expression of OCD or a manic response to control anxiety.

I find compulsive shopping, an expression of OCD, is more a disorder of scarcity, not abundance or greed. How many unopened parcels of 'bargains' or 'just too fun' do you have hidden in your closets? Or are areas of the home blocked from purchases stacked up in plain sight? Just how many $10 ladles purchsed for $3 does one family need--a life time supply of 3? or 12 to give to friends and family? Or all of them available for purchase?

I think comulsive shopping fills an unmet psychological/human need. The item itself could be meaningless--and it often is... these purchases made without reflection may provide the thrill of a purchase, something to do, momentary pleasure of accomplishment, to ease an emptiness, to allay anxiety, to hoarde, for fear, for bargain status, out of loneliness--they are all ripe opportunities for the compulsive.

And the limits of budget are not a factor...a compulsive shopper will find relief by making cash in any and everyway possible: in rolling coins, secretive withdrawals, cashing checks that should be deposited, hoarding cash or secret credit cards...and then when the economics change and money is readily available, there is no reason to hide anymore...and there is no reason to stop, either.

It is cruel to consider "our culture of consumption addiction" to be the same as a behavioral disorder that disrupts lives on a daily basis and can be passed by genetic linkages from generation to generation.

i suffer from panic disorder and being compulsive is a symptom of my disorder. I have been off my medication for a while and the only way for me to feel alright and mellow is when i shop. I go on a shopping frenzy everytime i check my bank account and see that i have money. When i shop and find out that i am broke i become so irritated.
i shop because i do not feel good about the way i look. Also, being considered cute and not pretty enough makes me livid and i feel that if i shop and buy new clothes somehow i will get guys to notice me. What is weird is that after i purchase the clothes and wear them, i do not feel any better, rather i feel awful. I am very depressed and hopeless and i feel that i am on a suicidal binge by doing things that harm me because i feel my life is not worth living.

PR. Genetic? I don't think so. Isn't it at least curious that the 'compulsive shopper' in that segment just happens to be a fan of the 'Today' show? She may well have been a monkee in a cage. The mainstream media fan is more brainwashed and naive than ever before. More IN DEBT than ever before. Lead around like puppies. OCD. What a joke. Why didn't we hear of this disorder 30 years ago? Why is the current generation more obese than the previous. Why are we more in debt? What about the plucked eyebrows, whitened teeth, straightened hair, liposuction, Botox, ect? What about the big screen TVs, video games, I-Pods, cell phones, and SUVs? These things were not desired by the masses until recently. Our need for a house full of high fashion, high end electronics, and high end decor was not mainstream until recently. 'Genetic' my ass. We have been PROGRAMMED. Regardless of our 'genetics', we are MUCH more likely to become obsessed with materialism, if we are exposed to the commercial influense. Far less likely if we are not. I understand that its 'fun' to shop'. I understand that it diverts our attention. But our natural instinct to 'collect' or 'hoarde' for survival has been horribly re-defined by the media and the coorporate world. PR. You are very well spoken and very knowledgable. But I don't trust your motives. Your post seems more like an exibition than anything else. A strategy often used to 'show up' the other guy or brainwash the masses. Unfortunately, most people take the word of the man or woman with the stronger vocabulary. I don't. I see right through your load of CRAP. In fact, I strongly suspect that you have a dog in the fight. Money or status to loose if the masses finally wise up and smell what is being shoveled in their faces. By the way, whats up with the dead link to this page? I smell a rat.

90% of those effected are women? BIG SURPRISE. Very similar to talk show demographics. Like I said before, nearly every segment plugs products and services currently on the market. 'Genetic' my ass. MASS MARKET BS.

On a related subject. Did you catch the 'reality' segment on Oprah about hoarding? This lady broke down in her kitchen as her hoarded items were thrown out. She immediately ran outside and up the sidewalk. Of course, the camera followed. Of course, there was no camera in the backround. Of course, the up close dramatic shot was nailed. The woman appeared at first glance to be crying. I looked very closely as she wiped her eyes. NO TEARS. The entire segment lead to a total refurnishing of her house. Again, the woman broke down as she entered her newly refurnished home. NO TEARS. So there you have it. An obviously staged 'reality' segment with references to mental illness and plugs for network sponsors, and/or coorporate partners and parent companies. How about this one PR? Care to comment? I'll say it again. WE HAVE BEEN MISLEAD. NOTHING IS WHAT ITS MADE OUT TO BE. If its on TV, you better damn well scrutinize the hell out of it. Otherwise, you're just a puppy on a leash.

On a related subject. Did you catch the 'reality' segment on Oprah about hoarding? This lady broke down in her kitchen as her hoarded items were thrown out. She immediately ran outside and up the sidewalk. Of course, the camera followed. Of course, there was no camera in the backround. Of course, the up close dramatic shot was nailed. The woman appeared at first glance to be crying. I looked very closely as she wiped her eyes. NO TEARS. The entire segment lead to a total refurnishing of her house. Again, the woman broke down as she entered her newly refurnished home. NO TEARS. So there you have it. An obviously staged 'reality' segment with references to mental illness and plugs for network sponsors, and/or coorporate partners and parent companies. How about this one PR? Care to comment? I'll say it again. WE HAVE BEEN MISLEAD. NOTHING IS WHAT ITS MADE OUT TO BE. If its on TV, you better damn well scrutinize the hell out of it. Otherwise, you're just a puppy on a leash.

JD, you obviously have very strong feelings about the subject. I am curious about the motive behind your rant. Is it your own personal financial problems that make you so angry and intolerant of others? Or are you simply mentally ill? We all have strong feelings about things, but very rarely do people carry on so, regardless of their personal feelings. I also find it interesting that you need to write in what seems to be an almost irrational way to an anonymous group -- perhaps being proactive in your community to help others think rationally about material things might be more effective. In a nutshell, try to reflect on your motives behind your anger, and then do something positive. I don't think anything you say here will really achieve your goals.

John. I appreciate the advice but I've heard it all before. I'm doing just fine. But we are in for some incredibly hard times. Millions will suffer because of this incredible greed within our country. The next great depression will make the last seem like a walk in the park. As far as 'happy thoughts' go, thats all fine and dandy. But someone has to stand up and acknowledge the downside. Otherwise, we will continue to run around in circles and watch our society crumble around us. I will not adopt a more socially acceptable less controversial cause in place of this one. Its not going to happen. Greed is by far, the greatest threat to humanity. The greatest obstacle to over-come if we are EVER to stabilize our economy or achieve any degree of world peace. Greed is pure evil. Incredibly destructive. I don't care what happy celebrity face you put on it. Its still just greed. IT WILL BE OUR DOWNFALL.

By the way. Its not 'irrational'. Einstein felt very much the same way. Look it up. He wrote about this in 1949. I'm not putting myself in his league. I just happen to agree with him. Greed ruins everything. There will never be world peace, prosperity, or anything even close without a reasonable distribution of wealth, income, and resources. Never.

Don’t believe one optimistic word from any public figure about the economy or humanity in general. They are all part of the problem. Its like a game of Monopoly. In America, the richest 1% now hold 1/2 OF ALL UNITED STATES WEALTH. Unlike ‘lesser’ estimates, this includes all stocks, bonds, cash, and material assets held by America’s richest 1%. Even that filthy pig Oprah acknowledged that it was at about 50% in 2006. Naturally, she put her own ‘humanitarian’ spin on it. Calling attention to her own ‘good will’. WHAT A DISGUSTING HYPOCRITE SLOB. THE RICHEST 1% HAVE LITERALLY MADE WORLD PROSPERITY ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE. Don’t fall for all of their ‘humanitarian’ CRAP. ITS A SHAM. THESE PEOPLE ARE CAUSING THE SAME PROBLEMS THEY PRETEND TO CARE ABOUT. Ask any professor of economics. Money does not grow on trees. The government can’t just print up more on a whim. At any given time, there is a relative limit to the wealth within ANY economy of ANY size. So when too much wealth accumulates at the top, the middle class slip further into debt and the lower class further into poverty. A similar rule applies worldwide. The world’s richest 1% now own over 40% of ALL WORLD WEALTH. This is EVEN AFTER you account for all of this ‘good will’ ‘humanitarian’ BS from celebrities and executives. ITS A SHAM. As they get richer and richer, less wealth is left circulating beneath them. This is the single greatest underlying cause for the current US recession. The middle class can no longer afford to sustain their share of the economy. Their wealth has been gradually transfered to the richest 1%. One way or another, we suffer because of their incredible greed. We are talking about TRILLIONS of dollars. Transfered FROM US TO THEM. Over a period of about 27 years. Thats Reaganomics for you. The wealth does not ‘trickle down’ as we were told it would. It just accumulates at the top. Shrinking the middle class and expanding the lower class. Causing a domino effect of socio-economic problems. But the rich will never stop. They will never settle for a reasonable share of ANYTHING. They will do whatever it takes to get even richer. Leaving even less of the pie for the other 99% of us to share. At the same time, they throw back a few tax deductable crumbs and call themselves ‘humanitarians’. IT CAN’T WORK THIS WAY. This is going to end just like a game of Monopoly. The current US recession will drag on for years and lead into the worst US depression of all time. The richest 1% will live like royalty while the rest of us fight over jobs, food, and gasoline. Crime, poverty, and suicide will skyrocket. So don’t fall for all of this PR CRAP from Hollywood, Pro Sports, and Wall Street PIGS. ITS A SHAM. Remember: They are filthy rich EVEN AFTER their tax deductable contributions. Greedy pigs. Now, we are headed for the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time. SEND A “THANK YOU” NOTE TO YOUR FAVORITE MILLIONAIRE. ITS THEIR FAULT. I’m not discounting other factors like China, sub-prime, or gas prices. But all of those factors combined still pale in comparison to that HUGE transfer of wealth to the rich. Anyway, those other factors are all related and further aggrivated because of GREED. If it weren’t for the OBSCENE distribution of wealth within our country, there never would have been such a market for sub-prime to begin with. Which by the way, was another trick whipped up by greedy bankers and executives. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. The credit industry has been ENDORSED by people like Oprah, Ellen, Dr Phil, and many other celebrities. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. So don’t fall for their ‘humanitarian’ BS. ITS A SHAM. NOTHING BUT TAX DEDUCTABLE PR CRAP. Bottom line: The richest 1% will soon tank the largest economy in the world. It will be like nothing we’ve ever seen before. and thats just the beginning. Greed will eventually tank every major economy in the world. Causing millions to suffer and die. Oprah, Angelina, Brad, Bono, and Bill are not part of the solution. They are part of the problem. EXTREME WEALTH HAS MADE WORLD PROSPERITY ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE. WITHOUT WORLD PROSPERITY, THERE WILL NEVER BE WORLD PEACE OR ANYTHING EVEN CLOSE. GREED KILLS. IT WILL BE OUR DOWNFALL. Of course, the rich will throw a fit and call me a madman. Of course, their ignorant fans will do the same. You have to expect that. But I speak the truth. If you don’t believe me, then copy this entry and run it by any professor of economics or socio-economics. Then tell a friend. Call the local radio station. Re-post this entry or put it in your own words. Be one of the first to predict the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time and explain its cause. WE ARE IN BIG TROUBLE.

JD: You seem VERY upset about this. Do you have some "shopping issues" at hand yourself? Are you one that has fallen into the "credit-card" barrage that will take you years, if ever, to be paid off? It is ok to be angry, but maybe you should step away from the keyboard and find another hobby besides being online. Call a friend and moan to them. I agree that we as a society do spend too much on things that we do not need. It is not all GREED and it was not ALL created by the "top 1%"! Ever heard of the "Keeping up with the Jones' " syndrome. Another cute lil name for it. Most people want what is beyond their reach financially. It gives the person something to dream about, a goal to set, and CAN teach saving for what you want instead of spending on something else. Shopping can be a compulsion for many people. Trust me, I have done my own and so has my husband. As a single parent years ago, as soo as that tax refund check came in I was shopping. AFTER all bills were paid and cught up if any were behind. I shopped for my kids. New clothes that they NEEDED, shoes that they NEEDED and yes some extra "fun stuff" for them. I usually put my own desires aside for them. If there was enopugh left out of what I had put aside for them, then I would buy for myself. But I have been down the road of shopping to make me feel better. Whether out of lonliness or to make me feel better. I still buy things that I do not really need. I bought an exercise VHS one day (on sale for next to nothing) and when I got home I thought ... we have plenty of exercise equipment and I walk and am a coach ... why did I need this? I could have bought toy mice for the cats, they always lose them! LOL!

My point is- JD - stop your ranting and take some action if you are really feel that strongly. BUT SToP RANTING! I laughed when I read your words and felt sorry for you. Just being honest.

My husband and I do not use credit cards. We each have one for emergencies. he is a OTR Driver and I own my own business. How can you operate a business without a credit card??? Easy, only purchase what you need with what you earn. You may have to invest some of your own "personal" money at first, but in the long run it is a better feeling of satisfaction by having that kind of successful business and not having to worry about if you are going to earn enough to pay the credit card bills! And my business is in a small town. Yet I am making it. I am a Massage Therapist. I love what I do. I help people learn to relax, let go of stress, help recover from injuries & quicker recovery time from surgeries. Many benefits for health with what I do. My work even helps premature babies develope faster. Look up the studies done in FL about 25 years ago - and Gearge Washington Carver did some of his own "testing" on the effects of Massage on certain ailments. Just thought I would throw that out there before you, JD, go on about how my job/work is another way to rip people off because it is a luxury. Sometimes maybe it is, but it is also very beneficial to the health of the body and mind. You seem to have alot of time ... do some research!

To all others - have a great day!

I think some people waste so much money on things that are made in other countries, and hardly even wear the clothes that they buy. I go to garage sales in the summer and you can get almost new items. Some people just blow money because they are bored. I think it was better when people bought what they needed when they needed it, notice I said needed instead of wanted. I wear the same spring jacket and tennis shoes, same watch,I feel good when I get the full use out of something rather than buying over and over in a short period of time.

We the people are full of creative ways to avoid seeing what is in front of our faces.

Americans have been had! We are trapped with no apparent way out! If we looked around we would see there is nobody standing up for we, the people. Despite constant media bombardment to the contrary, we are far from the best, bravest, richest, freest country.

Our elected officials appear to be on the take, with no concern for the health of the Americans who voted them into office. A corrupt administration is allowed to bankrupt the nation with apparent immunity, free from concerns of impeachment, a tool given to America to prevent abuse such as the abuse we are suffering from now.

We say nothing as these same officials violate our constitution, the Geneva convention, all moral codes, and commit war crimes. We remain silent as decision after decision gives funds to corporations and takes every penny from individuals.

We see nothing in our future except more of the same. Our new politicians-in-waiting discuss everything except the real concerns of the people. Other countries look at us fearfully, trying to avoid confrontation.

Too many Americans accept the liklihood that "911 was an inside job." How can this be? How can Americans go about their business, apparently ignoring the most horrible facts which reveal themselves daily?

We go shopping. We go into debt. We make bills we have no hope of paying. Americans have managed to dig themselves into such deep holes that surviving takes priority over reality.

Meanwhile our elected officials behave so badly it is nearly impossible not to see the extent of their corruption. Americans continue on with their lives, eyes straight ahead, shrugging their shoulders, surprised by little these days.

Have we ever been taught how to behave when we catch our politicians lying to us about important issues other than their private sex lives? No, we have not. This is why we are comfortable impeaching a President for lying about a private affair, but we won't even consider moving against a corrupt administration that may have been responsible for physically attacking the very country they were elected to defend and protect.

Americans merely shrug it off and complain about the way the new Presidential candidates talk about each other. And we become compulsive shoppers so we can avoid seeing what lies in front of our faces.

Can you imagine what America would be like if we were to publicize proof that our administration orchestrated the entire 911 fiasco in order to allow them to seize enough power so they could invade any country they wanted to? How would Americans react to learn the "war on terror" was part of this scam made up to allow a few corrupt officials to profit beyond anyone's wildest imagination? Can we even imagine Americans coming to the realization they we are now living in a fascist America governed by a dictator just like countries we used to read about and pity?

Could Americans imagine this happening?

Not in their wildest dreams!

We have become escape artists, avoiding facing the truth by ingenious means.

And we continue to discuss meaningless drivel like compulsive shopping and poor manners. Meanwhile our world has crashed around us.

We see nothing.